The Effect of COVID-19 Phobia, Pain Severity, Sleep Quality, Physical Activity, and Fatigue Levels and Quality of Life on Academic Achievement: A Path Analysis

Abstract

Objectives: Following the declaration of the pandemic, students' education has to be done at a distance due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study evaluated the association of university students' COVID-19 phobia, pain severity, sleep quality, physical activity, fatigue levels, and quality of life on students' achievement. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted by including 353 students from the university faculty of health sciences. The Pain Quality Assessment Scale was used to assess pain, the Fatigue Severity Scale to evaluate fatigue, the COVID-19 Phobia Scale to assess fear of disease, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form to evaluate physical activity level, and the Jenkins Sleep Scale to assess sleep quality, The Short Form-36 to determine the quality of life, and Online Learning Systems Acceptance Scale to evaluate satisfaction with distance education. Multiple linear regression and path analysis were conducted to identify factors associated with academic achievement. Results: It was found that age (B = 0.045; P = 0.040), BMI (B =- 0.200; P = 0.004), and physical (B = 0.128; P = 0.008), psychological (B = 0.057; P = 0.012) and social (B = 0.189; P = 0.018) domains of quality of life were associated with the level of achievement. Conclusions: Precautions must be taken to improve students' academic achievement and quality of life in preparing for the future against infectious and epidemic diseases.